1 John 4:19 ” We love because he first loved us.”

Strangers.

This is what we were four months ago.  But now, we are bonded differently, completely and in a way that only God could do.

Our church has grown so much that there are people you never see.  You are in a row upstairs, someone is downstairs, someone else attends later, someone is working in the nursery.  There is a struggle to connect.  And so, when we came together as a team, this is how our connections were.  Each was connected to me in one way, yet none of them connected until months ago.

When God impressed on my heart to continue forward with the plans for this trip, His words were – I have a purpose for each person that will go.  Each of them unique.  Yet each of them intentional.  And I did not know what those were.  Nor did I know who would be on this team.  I was to only present an opportunity and then allow God to bring the people to me.  Slowly they came.  And I will admit, I had my doubts whether I had heard God clearly on this one!

Yet, through the last two weeks, I have been smiling as I see just how God hand-picked each one.  With purpose.  He was right, as always.  And He was good to us.  As one member expressed this week, we are not bonded by age, occupations, former friendships, or anything else.  Yet our worldview and love for God gives us a common ground on which we could build, work together, share, trust one another and grow in a safe space.

And so it was with us this past week…. Just that.  Days filled with smiles, growth, challenges, love and laughter.  And I am praising God for giving us this opportunity to see others within the Body of Christ like this and connect with others within the church to further strengthen our ties.

It is exactly why I never want to hand pick people to be part of a team.  Because by human effort I would fail.  Yet allow God to put the burden on their hearts and allow them to pursue this opportunity.

I encourage you when you see each one of them to ask what God did in their heart this week and how their worldview has been expanded.  To listen what they have to say.  And to join in their joy as they share about their experiences and how they were stretched.

God is good.

All the time.

And all the time.

God is good.

I praise him for hand-picking this team.  I praise him for stretching each of us differently.  I praise him for creating us each uniquely.  I praise him for creating unity so quickly and effortlessly.  And I praise Him for what He continues to do in each of these lives.  My heart overflows with joy in seeing God work and move and unite.

Blessings to you from Guatemala.